Gordon Lindsay: Let it Be

‘Our ultimate aim is to ensure that the rental process runs as smoothly as possible,’ says Gordon Lindsay. ‘That’s why tenants always have my mobile number; if the washing machine breaks down on a Sunday, they can call me. If we’re available to fix problems, then the landlord doesn’t have to get involved.’

Gordon has been running his family lettings and property management business since 2008. Not only do he and his team know the local rental market like the back of their hand, they take care to build relationships with landlords and tenants. ‘Experience has taught us that it’s the best way to avoid issues,’ he explains. ‘It’s also why we always choose the most suitable tenant – not necessarily the first to show interest – for the landlord. Of course, we check references and carry out credit checks, but we also discuss it thoroughly; clearly, since we’ll be dealing with the tenant afterwards, that’s in our best interests too.’

Having advised a landlord about what can be done practically to maximise rental value and agreed a realistic price point – ‘it’s a completely false economy to inflate value and then have somewhere sitting empty’ – Gordon markets properties through all the usual portals, such as Zoopla and Rightmove.

Unlike many agents he does not take the full fee upfront on day one of a new tenancy. ‘That could leave the landlord without income for a period of time,’ he says. ‘Instead, we prefer to take a percentage every month; also, we offer reduced fees for landlords with more than three properties.’

As part of the property management process Gordon’s team carries out six-monthly inspections, organises safety checks, collects the rental income, sorts out routine maintenance jobs such as electrics and plumbing and, at the end of the contract, liaises with the tenant to ensure they are aware of their deposit obligations.

As for the state of the Chiswick lettings market, Gordon says that it has followed sales in being about 10% down. ‘There are still lots of tenants out there, but now they’ve got much more choice.’

About Editor

KEEP THINGS LOCAL MAGAZINES

KEEP THINGS LOCAL IS A MEDIA BUSINESS WITH A UNIQUE LOCAL FOCUS

The company publishes four flagship magazines (Chelsea Locals, Chiswick Locals, Richmond Locals and Hammersmith Locals) with more launches planned in London and across the UK. The prime focus of each of these quarterly magazines is to showcase and support the independent traders and small businesses who do so much to give these areas their individual retail character and community spirit. This is achieved through dedicated advertorials which are written, designed and photographed by an experienced team lead by Neil McKelvie.

In every issue, these advertorials are complemented by feature articles which turn the spotlight on different aspects of neighbourhood life and interviews with notable local figures.In addition to appearing in the magazines, every advertorial is also published in the Keep Things Local newsletters, on the website and on social media. Get in touch to be featured in our Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring issues.

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